NZ takes lead in MTBO Challenge.
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
NZ inched ahead of
Australia today in the first of the three events of the 2012 MTB-Orienteering Challenge at
Roxburgh, by 5 classes to 3. The visitors won the Men’s 20, the Women’s Open
and Women’s 40, while the hosts won the rest of the Men’s classes and Women’s
50. Australia met with bad luck in the last when Peta Whitford took a tumble
while negotiating a stream crossing, and Helen Edmonds missed a control point,
leaving the team with insufficient times for a result. The best two out of
three riders per class are counted.
Oscar Phillips.
Riders were
complimentary about the gold-mining terrain over the river from Roxburgh, where
locals have created a maze of tracks in an area only 1km long and 500m wide.
Planner Conal Boland-Bristow of Christchurch set 5 sprint-distance courses of
up to 7km in the tiny area. Only Bruce Meder (M60, NZL) beat the target winning
time of 22 minutes, though Chris Forne (M-Open, NZL) came close with 22-29.
After the teams had ridden 100 other orienteers between 14 and 70 rode the
courses. The challenge continues tomorrow at Alexandra. (MWood)
Many classes rode
the same courses allowing for time comparisions. Kiwi Chris Forne was dominant
on course 1 taking 22 minutes in winning men’s open. Queensland junior Chris
Firman impressed in taking the 2nd best time, with 25.53, easily
winning M20. Greg Barbour (Aussie resident but NZ team member) won M40 in
27.16. Alex Randall (VIC), Ricky Thackray (WA) and Oscar Phillips (VIC) were next,
closely grouped all in the 27 minute range. Maquita Gelderman had a time of 30
minutes in winning the women’s open, but Mary Fein (NSW) and Melanie Simpson
(NSW) weren’t far behind and gained Australia an important class win.
The fastest time in
course 2 was recorded by M50 winner NZ’s David King (27.04) but Aussie star Carolyn
Jackson rode well to be 2nd overall (and win W40) with a time of
28.34. NSW’s Carolyn Matthews made an outstanding Australian team debut to
finish 3rd in the same class and clinch the class victory. (KHaarsma)
Team results
(provisional)
Full results at http://www.obasen.nu/winsplits/online/en/
M-20: AUS 58-53,
NZL no team M-Open: NZL 53-32,
AUS 55-18
M40: NZL 55-34, AUS
59-15 M50: NZL 63-15, AUS
66-27
M60: NZL 44-14, AUS
53-31 W-Open: AUS 61-56, NZL
62-37
W40: AUS 63-27, NZL
66-02 W50: NZL 79-06, AUS no
result
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